Orcas have been attacking boats since 2020

North Atlantic alert as orcas begin targeting commercial ships in what experts describe as coordinated attacks

Since 2020, the Iberian orca subpopulation has been linked to more than 700 documented interactions, according to community reporting collated by the GTOA (Grupo de Trabajo Orca Atlántica). Most events involve sailing yachts under 15 meters, yet commercial skippers—coasters, trawlers, whale-watch operators—now report close approaches, stern-circling, and hard bumps that rattle crockery. In May 2024, a sailing vessel sank near the Strait of Gibraltar after repeated rudder strikes, and smaller working boats off Galicia have had gear fouled after sudden turns to protect props. The animals seem to know where control lives.